RONNY DEILA last night insisted Celtic don’t deserve to be a Champions League club if they can’t handle blistering Baku.

And the Celtic boss is also adamant Virgil van Dijk’s future does not hang on tonight’s crunch second leg against Qarabag. Deila was in defiant mood in the corridors of the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium ahead of the showdown in sweltering Azerbaijan as he looked forward to a major night in his reign.

Weather conditions, a dreadful playing surface and talented opposition backed by a hostile home support are all factors his troops must overcome to progress to the qualifying play-off.

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But Deila insists that if the players want to savour the big Euro nights against the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona they have to prove they can handle Baku.

He said: “The pitch is not good. Everybody is agreed on that but that’s how it is.

“The heat will affect all the players on the pitch, not just ours.

“But we have the experience of playing matches like this.

“We have to be tactically good and very concentrated and disciplined in everything we do.

“If we can’t handle that then we don’t have any business in the Champions League. It’s as simple as that.”

Celtic manager Ronny Deila speaks to the press ahead of his side's upcoming Champions League Third Round Qualifying second leg against Qarabag FC

It’s a major night for Deila and may also be a pivotal one for van Dijk.

The Dutch defender has a key role to play as the Scottish champions look for the clean sheet that would take them through.

However, there could be even more at stake for van Dijk.

The 24-year-old centre-back is wanted by the likes of Everton and Southampton ahead of the start of the Premier League this weekend.

Celtic know bids could arrive as early as tomorrow morning for their star man if the result does not go their way and they tumble out of Europe’s premier competition.

Assistant boss John Collins has already admitted failure to make the group stage would be a hammer blow in Celtic’s attempts to keep van Dijk.

Deila, however, is refusing to contemplate such a scenario and said: “I am not even thinking about that.

“We do not need to do anything. I don’t think about failure. I think about how to win. That’s the most important thing.

“I have been very impressed with Virgil. He has been learning things and has more experience.

“Last season we should have done things differently and this year we have done things differently.

“The two last matches have been among his best as well.

Virgil Van Dijk bullets in a header that was wonderfully saved by the Qarabag keeper Ibrahim Sehic (Image: Getty Images)

“You could see in our game against Qarabag at home that he is a top international player.

“He has shown that over time. It is good for Celtic and it’s good for him.”

Deila insisted he has heard nothing of a £7million bid from Southampton but bristled at the potential of an offer in that bracket.

He added: “When £7m was mentioned I said we would not consider it.

“That is not even close and there’s been nothing in terms of offers yet.

“We know what our players are worth and first of all it’s about creating a team and achieving things for Celtic.

“It’s very positive that clubs are interested in our players – that means we are doing something right. But we don’t think about that right now.